This doesn't really fit exactly into any of the current threads, but it's a question I've seen dozens of times (if not more) on the ICAN lists and here at MDC. So, I thought I'd just post about it, because I think it can freak women out quite a bit.

Post-op pain at the front of your abdomen (almost exactly where the zipper from a pair of pants - not hip huggers - would land) is quite common. It's a strange kind of pain, and very persistent, and hard to pin down. The best description I ever heard, and the one I now use, is "it feels like a bad sunburn, but without the heat". It can flare up whenever the area is touched, and sometimes it's just...there, for no apparent reason. It causes a lot of women to wonder what the heck is going on.

This is nerve damage and/or nerve healing. It's not a lot of fun. However, in the vast majority of cases, it will go away over the course of several months. I've had it twice, and each bout lasted somewhere around six months...one was closer to eight. It doesn't mean anything went wrong, and it's not some mysterious complication. It actually seems to be fairly common. However, it's something doctors either aren't very aware of, or just don't think to mention, and it can be a little freaky.

I just wanted to get that out there, so people know what's going on, if they happen to develop the "burn". (To the best of my recollection, I didn't notice it immediately either time - not sure if that's because it's a healing thing and takes a while to manifest, or because there were too many other sources of pain and fatigue for it to register.)

I had this and it lasted several months. Every once in a while I feel it again for a brief time. I think it has to do with the healing process and, like you said, the nerves. It was annoying, but not that bad.

Proud Mama to DS1 09/07 , DD 07/09 , and DS2 06/11 . Feeling more and more blessed with each day!